Combination lock with electrical switch control



Jan.20, 1942. G, T, HQSKING 2,270,439

COMBINATION LOCK WITH ELECTRICAL SWITCH CONTROL Filed Feb. 9, 1939- Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONLBINATI'ON LOCK WITH ELECTRICAL SWITCH CONTROL George T. Hosking, Stoughton, Mass.

Application'February 9, 1939, Serial No. 255,508

'4 Claims.

This invention is an electricswitch, and'locking means therefor, to prevent surreptitious operation thereof. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simpleform of permutation look, so constructed and arranged as to control a plurality of electric circuits, such, for instance, as those which are usually installed as a part of the standard equipment for the controlling and operation of motor vehicles. A further object is to provide a simple form of circuit-controlling device, so constructed and arranged that surreptitious attempts to short circuit the switch will be completely frustrated.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the switch. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2, Figure 1. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3, Figure 2. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the arrangement of the switch contacts. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating one use of the switch.

Referring to the drawing, I designates a switch box, provided with a cover II, which may be removably secured in place by any suitable means (not shown). Extended through the-bottom wall or base I I of the switch box is the tubular shank I2 of a binding post P, said post having a head I3 at one end, and an external screw threaded portion at the other end. A nut I4 working on the threaded portion I3 cooperates with the latter to removably clamp one terminal of the main conductor MC, leading from a battery BY, or other suitable source of electrical energy. The binding post P is insulated from said bottom wall in suitable manner, as by means of a sleeve I and a washer I6 of dielectric material.

Extending axially into the hollow shank I2,

and rotatively mounted therein is the hollow shank IZ of the movable contact ll of a master switch S. Said shanks I2 .and I2 are maintained in assembled relation by means of a screw I8, the shank of which engages a complemental internally threaded portion of said shank IF,

the head of the screw bearing against an abutment shoulder I9. Resting upon contact I! is a dielectric operating armll], which is retained in position by means of a screw 2|. The shank of said screw extends through said arm 20 andengages a complemental internally threaded portion of the tubular shank I2 A pin 22 serves to so connect arm 20 and contact I! that .rotative adjustment of said arm 20 will be imparted to said contact I-l. It will be observed that arm 20 is provided with two laterally extended portions Il carrying a contact -I l v Secured to the bottom wall of switch box I 0 greater depth than the others. recesses .39 may be employed, but for purposes is an arcuate contact support 23 of suitable dielectric material, and disposed concentrically with respect to the shanks I2 and. I6. Anchored in said base are six contacts A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively, the contacts A, B and C being so positioned as to be engageable by the free end of contact I! as the latter travels in its normal movements through an arcuate path. Contacts C, D and E are so positioned as to beengaged by the contact I'I at the extreme left hand limit of the movement of arm 20 as viewed in Figure 5. Contacts A and E are electrically connected 'bya suitable conductor 24, and contacts 13 and D are electrically connected by a conductor 25. Contact F is grounded in any suitable or desired manner, for instance, through the base of the switch as indicated in Figure 4. The switch herein described is designed to control the supply ofcurrent'to any desired kind of electrical apparatus. By way of illustration, and without intent to limit the invention .in this particular, the switch is disclosed as particularly adapted to control the various circuits of the ignition system of a motor vehicle. For instance, leading from contact Bis a main cable B passing through the outlet tube 3i], and having a branch b connected with starter motor SM and another branch wire b connected with the fuse b From said fuse a wire b leads to the generator GM, and another wire b to headlight switch HS, controlling circuits to the headlights HL and tail light TL. Also leading from contact B, and connecting the latter with the distributor DR, is a conductor h Conductor C is connected by conductor C- with parking light PL. If desired, electromagnetic locks I-IL, LC

and GL for the hood, luggage compartment and glove compartments respectively, may be also controlled conductors b b, b and b respectively. The outlet tube 30 is anchored in position by any suitable means, such as the insulating collar 3|, insulating washer 32, and nuts 33 and 34.

Fixedly secured to the bottom of casing 'Ill are a plurality of tubular bearing posts 36 three being shown for purposes of illustration. Rotatively mounted within each post 33 is the shaft 35 of a lock wheel 36, all of said wheels resting upon the plate 31 which is slidingly supported in suitable manner, between the lugs II- formed on thebase I0 and the :heads of the studs II- secured to said base. Said plate is slotted as indicated at 36 to provide clearance for movement of the plate with respect to .saidposts. Each wheel 36 is provided with a plurality oi" peripheral recesses 39 and a single recess 40 of Any- .number or of illustration each wheel is provided with eleven recesses 39 and one larger recess 49. Each wheel 36 is also provided with a circular series of holes 4|, said holes of each disk being in radial alinement with the respective recesses 39- and 40 of said disk. Spring. pressed pawls 42 and 42 serve to releasably hold the wheels 36 against rotation. The pawls 42 are shown with curved projections to extend into the spaces between the teeth of the wheels, the pawl 42 having a concave portion to engage the periphery of its wheel. In both instances, the pawls will frictionally hold the Wheels against rotation, but each will yield to a turning pressure applied to its wheel. Obviously, all three pawls may be constructed according to either design. Lugs 43 are secured to the slide plate 31 in such positions as to be movable into the larger recesses 40 when the wheels 36 have been rotated to bring said recesses into alinement with the lugs.-

As shown in the drawing, the slide plate 31 is provided with a lower inwardly extended edge portion 45 which constitutes a cam surface and is provided with three equally spaced recesses 45*, 45 and 45. Rotatively mounted in the top H is a shaft 46 of a pointer like handle 41, the inner end of said shaft having a radial actuator arm 48 secured thereto. The outer end of said arm 48 is provided with a roller 49, so positioned as to be brought into engagement with the cam edge 45 of the slide plate, and to impart slidable movement to the latter in one direction. Rotative adjustment of arm 48 is limited by stops The arm 48 is connected to switch arm 20 by means of a coupling pin 5|, so that relative movement of the switch arm 29 and the actuator arm 48 is prevented, whereby they are at all times maintained in approximately parallel relation.

Disposed concentrically with the shaft 46 and in such position on the outer surface of cover I as to indicate the desired adjustments of handle 41, are suitable indicia, such as On, Ign. off, Park, Set and Off. The top surface of the cover H is also provided with three series of indicia 52 (numerals being shown for purposes of illustration), corresponding to the number of recesses of lock wheels 36. Three groups of characters 52 are shown, one for each wheel 36, the characters being arranged in a circle so as to be concentric with the axes of rotation of three rotatively adjustable pointer-like handles G, H and I, respectively. Each of the last mentioned handles is secured to the reduced portion of a shaft 55 carrying a disk 56 provided with a pin 51 adapted to be selectively inserted into any of the holes 4| of the wheel 36 with which its disk 56 is associated, there being one of said disks 56 for each wheel 36. Each disk 56 is yieldingly urged toward its complemental wheel 36 by means of a spring 58, so as to yieldingly hold the pin 51 normally in engagement with the wheel so as to couple said wheel to said disk in such manner that rotation of the disk will impart similar rotative movements to the wheel. However, rotation of each disk is prevented while its lug 43 is engaged with any of the peripheral recesses of wheel 36. The method of making adjustments of said disk 56 will be later described,

In Figure 3 the switch is shown in the positions in which movable contact I1 is engaged with contact C. In this position the roller 49, (not shown in this view) would be resting in the recess 45*. Movement of arm 20 to this position, however, would be impossible if the recesses 40 were not in alignment with the lugs 43. This is because said arm 29, as it moves the roller 49 in an arcuate path will cause said roller to engage and travel along the cam surface 45, and thereby cause the plate 31 to slide upwardly (as viewed in Figure 3) against the tension of spring S. Movement of the plate 31 in the opposite direction is limited by the posts 36 However, such sliding movement would be prevented, unless all of the lugs 43 can enter their respective recesses 49. Therefore, adjusting movements of movable contact IT to all positions will be prevented, unless plate 3! is free to slide. While the parts are in the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3, the plate 31 has moved away from the wheels 36 a sufiicient distance to move the lugs 43 well beyond the peripheries of the said wheels, so that the latter may be freely rotated by means of the handles G, H and I, respectively. It will also be noted that at this time recess 45 is in engagement with the roller 49. However, any movement of arm 20 in either direction would immediately move plate 31 backwardly so as to push the lugs 43 into engagement with the peripheries of wheels 36 as long as the deeper recesses 40 of all of the wheels 36 are in alinement with the respective lugs 43. If, however, any one of the shallower recesses 39 of any one or more of the Wheels 36 should be alined with the respective lugs, it will be impossible to slide the plate 31 in a direction from the movable switch member a sufiicient distance to free the arm 48.

To look the switch arm 29 in any of the positions within its range of movement, it is necessary to rotatively adjust the wheels 36 to such positions that a shallow recess 39 of each disk is placed in the path of movement of its lug 43. The recesses 39 and 40 and their complemental studs 43 cooperate with the holes 4| of said wheels the disk 56 and their complemental pins 51, and with handles G, H and I to provide a very simple form of permutation lock with a large number of combinations correlated to the indicia 52. The combinations are effected by withdrawing the pin 5'! of each disk 58 from engagement with its wheel 36, then rotating the shaft 55 to position the pin 51 over any preselected hole 4| of said wheel, and then allow the spring 56 to impel the pin into the selected hole. The position of the selected hole is indicated by the index characters 52. By this means when the handles G, H and I have rotated disks from positions indicated in Figure 3, all of the recesses 40 will have been moved out of alinement with their respective lugs 43. As a result, any attempt to move the arm 26 in either direction would be prevented, due to the fact that arm 29 cannot move unless the slide bar is free to travel away from the switch. This movement, however, would be prevented, because during any such movement of the plate, each lug 43 would engage a shallower recess 39 of its wheel 36 and thereby prevent sufficient movement of the bar 31 to free the switch arm 20.

It will be observed that while any lug 43 is in engagement with a recess 39 of its wheel 36, the lock plate 3'| carried by the slide plate 31 will overhang the disk 56 of said wheel, in such position as to prevent raising of the disk. By reason of this arrangement change of the permutation adjustment of any wheel 36 is prevented until the slide plate 3'! has been moved forwardly by spring S. In other Words, movement of arm 20 in either direction will be prevented until each of the handles G. H and I has been rotated to such position as to point to the character 52 which indicates the hole 4| into which the pin 51 has been inserted. These adjustments will bring the recesses 40 into alinement with the lugs 43 and thereby permit the plate 31 to slide toward the wheels 36, whereby said lugs 43 will enter said recesses 40' when rotative movement is applied to the handle 41. For convenience in making changes in the lock combinations, the wheels 36 are all initially adjusted to bring the recesses 40 in alinement with the lugs 43. Then handle 41 is rotated to set position, thereby moving the plate 3! back far enough to clear the disks 56. The wheels 36 will, in this manner, be held against rotation, until the disks 56 have been adjusted in the manner already described.

While the switch is in unlocked position, the handle 46 may be adjusted to any of its operative positions. While in the park position the switch may be locked with movable contact ll, thereby closing the circuit from battery BY through conductor MC, binding post P and contact C to the parking light PL. While in ign. off (ignition off) position the ignition circuit through contacts A and B is cut off, but as the handle 41 moves to on position the circuit is i closed by contact I! through both contacts A and B, and normal operation of all circuits is permissible. While the arm 48 is in the on and off positions respectively, the roller 49 is engaged with one or the other of the posts 48, as the case may be, and also engages the adjacent corner of the cam curve 45. Of course, the permutation disks must have been first adjusted to neutral positions before handle 41 may be moved. While handle 41 is in off position the contact I? is engaged with contacts D, E and F. At this time any attempt to by-pass the switch by means of a by-pass wire leading from conductor MC to the ignition, would be frustrated because the new circuit would be grounded through contact B, wire 25, contact [l and grounded contact F and also through contact A, wire 24, contacts E, ll and F. Normally, while arm 20 is in set position all circuits would be open. If desired, grounding contacts D, E and F, duplicating contacts D, E and F, may be provided adjacent to contact C, the contact D being connected with wire 25 and the contact E being connected with wire 24. In this manner a by-pass grounded circuit is closed by contact I! while arm 20 is in park position. It is to be understood that no attempt has been made to preserve the relative proportions of Figure with respect to the other figures of the drawing, because said Figure 5 is purely diagrammatic and merely intended to illustrate the switch circuits.

The advantages of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it belongs. For instance, it will be readily observed that a very simple form of master switch is provided, which may be securely locked whenever it is desired to do so. A very important advantage is that a simple and efficient means is provided for effectually frustrating any surreptitious attempt to by-pass the switch.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed is;

1. The combination with a slide plate having one edge provided with an approximately concave cam-portion, a pivotally mounted actuator arm having one end thereof in normal engagement with said cam edge, in such manner that pivotal movements of said arm will impart sliding movement to said plate, means for adjusting said arm, and means for releasably limiting said movement of the slide plate in such manner as to prevent pivotal movement of said arm, of an electrical switch having a movable contact member arranged beneath and parallel with said actuator arm, and means for coupling said actuator arm and said contact member in such manner as to normally prevent relative movement thereof.

2. The combination with a slide plate having one edge provided with an approximately concave cam-portion, a pivotally mounted actuator arm having one end thereof in normal engagement with said cam edge, in such manner that pivotal movements of said arm will impart sliding movement to said plate, means for adjusting said arm, means for releasably limiting said movement of the slide plate in suchmanner as to prevent pivotal movement of said arm, of an electrical switch having a movable contact member, a dielectric operating arm therefor, said arm lying beneath and parallel with said actuator member, and means for detachably connecting said arms in such manner as to normally prevent relative movement thereof.

3. The combination with a slide plate having one edge provided with an approximately concave cam-portion, a pivotally mounted actuator arm having one end thereof in normal engagement with said cam edge, in such manner that pivotal movements of said arm will impart sliding movement to said plate, means for adjusting said arm, means for releasably limiting said movement of the slide plate in such manner as to prevent pivotal movement of said arm, of an electrical switch having an elongated movable contact member pivotally supported independently of said actuator arm on an axis coinciding with the pivotal axis of the latter, and means for releasably connecting the actuator arm and the contact in such manner as to normally prevent relative movement thereof.

4. The combination with a slide plate having one edge provided with an approximately concave cam-portion, a pivotally mounted actuator arm having one end thereof in normal engagement with said cam edge, in such manner that pivotal movements of said arm will impart sliding movement to said plate, means for adjusting said arm, means for releasably limiting said movement of the slide plate in such manner as to prevent pivotal movement of said arm, of an electrical switch having an elongated movable contact member, a pivotal support therefor arranged in axial alinement with the pivotal axis of said actuator arm and in spaced relation thereto, a dielectric operating arm secured to said contact member, said dielectric being spaced from and disposed parallel with said actuator arm, and a coupling pin for connecting said actuator arm and said dielectric arm, in such manner as to normally prevent relative movement thereof.

GEORGE T. HOSKING. 

